leprechaun
Americannoun
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a dwarf or sprite.
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a conventionalized literary representation of this figure as a little old man who will reveal the location of a hidden crock of gold to anyone who catches him.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of leprechaun
1595–1605; < Irish leipreachán, lucharachán, MIr luchrapán, lupra ( c ) cán, metathesized forms of Old Irish lúchorp ( án ), equivalent to lú- small + corp body (< Latin corpus ) + -án diminutive suffix
Explanation
A leprechaun is a character in Irish folklore, a small fairy or sprite who wears green and has a sly sense of humor. A leprechaun is typically described as a short old man with a beard, usually wearing a green coat and hat. In Celtic or Irish mythology, leprechauns are shoemakers who store gold coins at the ends of rainbows and love practical jokes. The root of the word leprechaun is the Irish leipreachán, which comes from the Old Irish luchorpan, literally "a very small body."
Vocabulary lists containing leprechaun
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A Mythical Menagerie
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Classic mascots like Lucky the Leprechaun and Chip the Wolf were woven throughout gameplay, as were promotions for new, real-world General Mills products.
From Salon • Nov. 7, 2022
A third pony, Leprechaun, was given to the family by Irish leaders.
From New York Times • Nov. 14, 2020
And the The National Leprechaun Museum of Ireland tweeted: "Even we think this is a bit much #WildMountainThyme".
From BBC • Nov. 11, 2020
Her first role came at age 19, as an uncredited dancer in "Mac and Me," according to IMDb, but it was 1993's "Leprechaun" that would serve as her first starring role.
From Fox News • Feb. 11, 2020
Eily she was a colleen fair, the light of the harper's eyes, And he won by the aid of the Leprechaun his long-desired prize.
From Masters of the Guild by Lamprey, L.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
